CPPCC vows to continue helping improve people's lives

China's parliamentary season has kicked off for the year, with the country's top political advisory body starting its annual session on Saturday.

Xi Jinping (C, front), Li Keqiang (4th R, front), Zhang Dejiang (4th L, front), Yu Zhengsheng (3rd R, front), Zhang Gaoli (3rd L, front), Li Zhanshu (2nd R, front), Wang Huning (2nd L, front), Zhao Leji (1st R, front), and Han Zheng (1st L, front) attend the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

At the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng said the CPPCC will continue to help the government and party organs drive stable economic development as well as improve people's lives.

CRI's Wen Jie has more.

Reviewing the work of the CPPCC over the last five years, Yu Zhengsheng said it had fulfilled its political role well and made significant contributions to China's development.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. Yu said the CPPCC has geared up for the new normal stage in economic development and has focused on such issues as deepening reform, cutting overcapacity, and promoting innovations.

"Regarding the deepening of supply-side structural reform, we sent eight research groups to 13 provinces, held a series of consultative meetings on specific topics, including the tasks of cutting overcapacity, reducing excess inventory, deleveraging, lowering costs, and bolstering areas of weakness; revitalizing the real economy; pursuing innovation-driven development, and fostering new drivers of growth," said Yu.

Yu said the national and local CPPCC committees have also provided help and support for poverty alleviation efforts.

Looking ahead, he said the CPPCC will make further contributions to improving people's lives, and at the same time support stable economic development, as part of its commitment to help China become a modern socialist country.

"Aiming to secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we will conduct in-depth consultations and intensive deliberation on state affairs with both key sectors and weak areas, poverty alleviation with specific targets, as well as pollution prevention and control at the core. We will also strengthen oversight for better implementation of national policies," said Yu.

Yu also called on political advisors to strengthen their practical work to promote political consultation and inspection.

"We will conscientiously perform our duties of political consultation, oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs, and make new contributions to building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and a modern socialist China," said Yu.

Lastly, Yu said that the CPPCC will continue to help deepen China's relationships with its friends from around the world. One of the ways it would do this is by promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.

Over the coming days, an amendment to the CPPCC charter will be put under deliberation and adopted before the session wraps up on March 15.

A new CPPCC leadership is also to be elected.

Meanwhile, the political advisors will also discuss a draft revision to China's Constitution and a draft law on supervision.